SimulTRAC simultaneous radioimmunoassay of thyrotropin and free thyroxin evaluated

We assessed the analytical and diagnostic performance of a dual-isotope RIA for thyrotropin (TSH) and free thyroxin (FT4) in serum. The mean interassay CVs for these analytes were 7.9% and 5.0%, respectively. The mean minimum detection limit for TSH was 0.25 milli-int. unit/L, the mean analytical recovery 110%. There was good agreement with values for TSH and FT4 measured by alternative RIA procedures. Euthyroid patients were well distinguished from those with overt thyroid disease, although there was a small overlap in the case of TSH. Combining the two results better discriminated these categories and identified those patients with subclinical thyroid disease who had abnormal TSH concentrations but FT4 concentrations within reference limits. Euthyroid women taking estrogen-containing oral contraceptives had normal results for TSH and FT4, as did most pregnant women studied. During the third trimester of pregnancy, TSH concentrations of women with low FT4 concentrations were within reference limits. Similarly, euthyroidism was confirmed in patients with low FT4 due to nonthyroidal illness by the simultaneous finding of a normal TSH concentration.